The Forbidden Love for a Kai
by La Belle Etoile
Summary: Everyone knows about the Supreme Kai's servant Kibito, but not many people know about the other servant... This is her story... Minor sauciness in this story. ; Supreme KaixOC
1. Chapter 1

A/N: This happens to be my most beloved story, so treat it kindly and love it with all your heart. Hopefully I'm not the only fan of Supreme Kai and this will go over well.

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His fingers brush against her spine causing her to shiver with delight. As he gently kisses the back of her neck, she lets out a soft moan.

"Aurella, my Aurella," Says Shin huskily. He puts his arms around her, hugging her to him. She Settles into his embrace with a contented sigh. This was the best day of her life…

…Except that it wasn't a day, it was night. And it wasn't her life, it was only a dream.

Aurella woke with a start, thin beads of sweat dripping down her face.

She sits up, sad that she'd woken from her favorite dream. Climbing out of bed, she goes into her small bathroom to get a drink and splash cold water on her face.

"You need to stop having that dream," She says to her reflection. "It's never going to happen, so stop wishing it will." Self-reprimanding was becoming a nightly occurrence.

With a sigh, she returns to her bed and tries her best to fall back asleep. Not an easy task when she still had images of herself and the Supreme Kai in bed together…

…Though sleep she did. Aurella woke later that morning only half as rested as she had hoped to be.

But that didn't matter. Rested or not, Aurella had things to do.

After taking a quick shower, Aurella dressed and threw her hair into a ponytail. She hurried out of her room and down the hallway to the Kitchen, where Kibito was preparing breakfast.

Aurella grabbed a scone, still warm from the oven, stuffed it in her mouth, and began her Master's breakfast tray.

"You know, you could actually _sit down_ and eat breakfast." Kibito said with a smile.

"No time for that, things to do," She said through a full mouth. Swallowing, she grabs a carton of juice from the fridge and pours it into a glass.

"If you woke up a little earlier, you might have time to eat." He gave her a concerned look as he placed a plate of bacon and eggs on the tray.

"I sleep little enough as it is, thank you." She muttered. He rose and eyebrow, but did not question her.

A piece of toast pops out of the toaster and Aurella grabs it in midair. She quickly spreads jam on it and places it beside the bacon.

Kibito watches with vague interest as she picks up the tray and trots down another hallway.

When she reaches the end, she comes to an elaborately carved door that has the Kai Emblem engraved in the middle. Aurella takes a deep breath; steeling herself against the emotions she feels whenever she sees the Supreme Kai.


	2. Chapter 2

Well, this is chapter two. I think it's pretty long, so hopefully you'll be satisfied with that... Sadly, this story doesn't seem to be nearly as popular as my other story... Which makes me rather sad, since I love this one even more. In other words, rate, review and spread the word! If you like this story I want to know, and I want other people to know!!

I do not own Supreme Kai or Kibito. They belong to Akira Toriyama, as to any other DBZ characters or places that I use. I do however, own Aurella and all original pieces of this story.

Thank you and enjoy.

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Balancing the tray in one hand, Aurella quietly opens the door.

It is pitch black as it always is in the morning. It is kept this way so that the Supreme Kai can have the best sleep possible.

Aurella swiftly and silently crosses the room. Setting the tray down, she is about to open the curtains when she hears the Kai sigh…

She turns to look at her boss and flushes bright crimson.

The bed covers have been pulled back, maybe he had gotten to warm in the night and pushed them off, and the Kai's upper body was exposed. The part that catches Aurella off guard is that he isn't wearing a shirt.

Aurella covers her mouth to stop herself from verbally reacting. She closes her eyes and takes a deep breath, trying to calm her heart.

Unable to help herself, she opens one eye. His chest rises and falls with every breath. Aurella's breathing, however, was currently coming at a much quicker pace than Shin's peaceful breathing.

He snores lightly and his hair is kind of messy, but Aurella can't help but think that he is the most beautiful creature she has ever seen.

Slowly, she inches towards him. Reaching out a wary hand, she pushes a strand of hair away from his eyes. She lets out a soft sigh as she touches him. His hair is like silk and his skin is warm and creamy… A joyful gasp escapes her lips. This had to be the most amazing moment of her entire life…

Sadly, it was also a moment that could not last. With a sigh, Aurella pulls her hand away and returns to the task at hand.

As she opens the curtains, Shin begins to stir, flipping over to avoid the light. Aurella smiles as she crosses to the other side of the room to open more curtains. As soon as the curtains are open, the Kai flips onto his stomach, as he always does, with a groan, hiding his face within a mass of pillows. Still smiling, Aurella uses her serious voice.

"Master, it's time to wake up." He mumbles something unintelligible. Aurella suppresses a giggle. "Come on. I brought you your breakfast. Kibito made your favorite."

He shifts slightly and sniffs the air to smell if she tells the truth.

Rolling over towards the food, he opens one sleepy eye. First he looks at Aurella, then at his tray. She gives him a small smile.

"Are you ready to eat?" He nods groggily into his pillow. With a groan he flips onto his back and slowly sits up, once again exposing his bare chest. As he stretches, Aurella rakes her eyes over his beautifully sculpted torso.

Rather than start salivating, Aurella clears her throat. The Kai looks down and flushes.

"Er… it was rather warm last night…" He mutters his excuse as he pulls the blanket up to cover himself.

"Of course, sir." Says Aurella stoically. He grins at her sheepishly as she hands him the tray. While he eats, Aurella tidies up the room. It never ceases to amaze her just how messy the Kai could be. Clothes were strewn about the room, papers covered the floor, and piles of books littered every open surface.

Once finished cleaning, Aurella digs through the Kai's closet and pulls out some clothes. She lays them on the edge of the bed and into the adjoining bathroom.

Rummaging through a cupboard, she pulls out a clean towel and places it on the counter. She kneels next to the enormous bathtub and turns the faucet on. Grabbing a bottle, she pours some of the liquid bath soap into the water.

As the water rises and bubbles begin to form, Aurella's mind wanders. She imagines what it would be like to bathe with the Supreme Kai. They could wash each other's backs… And she could see him completely-

"Aurella!" The Kai's voice interrupts her daydreaming. She looks up to see the tub overflowing.

"Oh! I'm so sorry! I'll clean it up right away!" Aurella blushes pure scarlet, turns the faucet off, and hastily stands up. Without realizing just how wet the floor is, Aurella turns too quickly and slips.

Completely losing her balance, Aurella's head careens towards the sink…

Suddenly the falling motion is unexpectedly halted. Aurella gasps at the feeling of Supreme Kai's arm around her waist. Her adrenaline pumps as she stares at the counter only inches from her face.

"Careful, Ella…" The Kai says softly in her ear, sending a pleasant shiver down her spine. He helps her upright but does not let her go, worried that she is still unstable.

"I-I'm sorry…" Aurella stutters. He smirks and fixes her skewed glasses.

"So long as you're alright, it does not matter." She nods shakily in reply as he slowly removes his arm. Seeing that she is able to stand on her own, he heads towards the door. "Why don't you sit down while I go find a mop."

"I can do that." Aurella offers. He gives her a 'no-nonsense' stare which tells her she shouldn't argue. With a sigh, she nods and slowly follows him back into the bedroom.

After making sure that she's sitting, Supreme Kai leaves the room in search of a mop. She watches him go with a sad expression, wishing she were still in his arms…

Aurella flops backwards onto the bed and covers her face with one of the nearby pillows. How stupid was she, letting the master's bath overflow? While she thought about _him_ no less… She was so embarrassed that she wanted to smother herself with the pillow…


	3. Chapter 3

So... Yeah. This is chapter three. Aren't you excited? All 15 of you? I'm not sure why this story is less popular than my other one. Maybe cause less people like Supreme Kai, I dunno. But if you like this story, you should favorite, review, and spread the word!!

Don't own DBZ, any of it's characters, or plotline.

Love ya'll and enjoy. :)

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"I'm worried about her Kibito. She's been having so many accidents lately…" Kibito grunts in agreement as he pulls a mop from the kitchen closet.

"I just don't understand what could be causing it. Do I push her too hard? Maybe she needs a vacation…" Kibito chuckles at the thought of Aurella on vacation.

"The only way you'll get her to stop working, is to take a vacation yourself. I'm not sure even _that_ would work…" Supreme Kai crosses his arms and ponders how true Kibito's statement is. He had never seen Ella take a day off before. She was very serious about always being around when he needed her.

"I may have to force her into taking time off…" Kibito raises a questioning eyebrow. "She's not going to like it, but I know she won't deny a direct order…" Kibito nods solemnly, not sure how he feels about this plan. It could do more harm than good… He states his concern to his master, causing him to frown. "How do you mean?"

"Well… A few days off would be good for her physically, but the mental stress of not knowing how her master is fairing might kill her." Supreme Kai's eyes widen, the truth of it slapping him in the face. Kibito was right. Forcing Ella to take time off would cause her more stress than working would. The Kai sighs in defeat.

"I suppose I'll have to take a vacation after all… At least she won't have to deal with any secretarial duties…" Kibito smiles, happy his thoughts were being taken into account, and that his plan would be fulfilled. He would force the two of them together whether they liked it or not.

Oh yes, Kibito knew how Aurella felt about their master. He knew virtually everything about the both of them. How could he not know what was going on? Aurella was becoming increasingly love struck every day. It was difficult not to notice.

Supreme Kai may not know Aurella's feelings yet, but Kibito was certain that when he did find out, he would return those feelings. Kibito was determined to make it work. These were his two favorite people after all, and he wanted them to be happy.

"Now… what exactly am I supposed to do for 'vacation'…?" The Kai speculated. Kibito smirks.

"If I may interject an idea, sir…"

-Sometime Shortly After-

Aurella, still sprawled across her master's bed, huffed with displeasure. _What could he be doing?_ She wondered. _It's been ages since he went to get that mop… Maybe he got lost…." _She giggled at the thought. The Supreme Kai getting lost in his own house was an interesting concept.

Suddenly, the object of her speculations burst into the room, startling her from her reverie. She sits up and watches as he goes to his closet and begins pulling out just about everything he was able to reach.

"Er… what are you doing?" She asks as Kibito enters with the mop and heads straight into the bathroom.

"I'm packing." He says shortly.

"Is that what you're calling it?" She asks with a grimace as he throws things all over the floor.

He doesn't answer, but she hadn't really expected him to.

"So, where are you going?" She asks, and he slows slightly.

"Kibito has just informed me that Grand Kai is holding a gathering of sorts." He answers in that way of his, never being direct about anything.

"So you're going to the Grand Kai's planet?" He turns towards her, pausing his current task of 'packing'.

"Actually, _we_ are going; all three of us. It's about time we interacted with the rest of Otherworld."

Aurella blinks, a confused expression on her face. "We're _all_ going to Grand Kai's planet?" She asks slowly.

"I'm not about to go by myself, am I?"

"Of course not!" She replies huffily. He smiles at her exclamation.

"Then yes, both you and Kibito will be coming with me." He resumes throwing the contents of his entire closet onto the floor.

With a sigh, Aurella stands and begins organizing his mess once again.

"Stop," She freezes mid-stoop and looks up at her master questioningly. He smiles down at her. "Go pack your own things. I'll be fine on my own."

"But-" She begins to protest.

"Go." He interrupts sternly. With another sigh and a slight pout, Aurella leaves the room to do as she is told.

Once she left, Supreme Kai halts his ludicrous act with a chuckle. The more she believed this to be a spur-of-the-moment outing, the better. He did not want her to know it was all really for her benefit.

Kibito re-enters the room with a smirk. "This could prove interesting…" He says to himself, before helping his master pack.


	4. Chapter 4

This chapter is HUGE, because I just couldn't find a good place to stop. I didn't necessarily find the best spot, but it'll have to do, cause it needs to end sooner or later...

I don't own DBZ, it's characters, or plot.

Thank you and enjoy.

* * *

Kibito and Aurella stand in the foyer waiting for their master.

The ratio of bags to person was highly unbalanced. Aurella carried one small duffel bag, bringing only what was absolutely necessary, which, apparently, wasn't much.

Kibito had, to his colleague's surprise, two suitcases. Aurella had no idea what he had packed nor was she about to ask him. That did not stop her from being curious, though.

Neither of these things was particularly surprising. What surrounded them, however, was.

Several piles of baggage had been stacked around the room, all of which belonged to the Supreme Kai. It was amazing just how much stuff the Kai was bent on taking. Aurella could hardly believe her eyes. The worst part was that he wasn't finished.

Suddenly, the Kai came into the room, dragging two more large suitcases behind him.

Aurella felt a headache being formed and rubbed her temple. She thought he was being ridiculous, but wasn't about to tell him so. Thankfully, she didn't need to.

"Don't you think that's a bit much?" Asked Kibito sternly. The Kai looked up at him in surprise and then took a look around the room. Aurella held her breath as she waited for his response.

"I suppose you may be right…" He set down his suitcases and walked around the room. He paused at a few different stacks to pull out suitcases.

By the time he was finished, he had narrowed it down to six; quite the improvement to tell the truth. Aurella sighed in relief. Shortly after, they left the mansion and boarded the Kai's private jet.

It was a fairly small jet, as it was hardly used and never carried many passengers. Its size made it fairly cozy though, and Aurella settled into it quite comfortably.

The flight wasn't particularly long, but it wasn't exactly short either. Aurella quickly fell asleep and thankfully, it was a dreamless one.

When the plane was preparing to land, Aurella woke with a start. It had only been a few hours, but she felt much rested. It had been a long time since she had slept so well.

As the jet began its descent, Aurella looked out the window down at the Grand Kai's planet. It had been ages since she'd last been there, but it didn't look at all different.

Though large in comparison to most the districts of Otherworld, it was much smaller than her master's planet. Nevertheless, it was still quite beautiful and charming.

As she surveyed the planet, Aurella's excitement grew. It had been a long time she she'd been in the company of someone other than Kibito or Supreme Kai… How could she not be excited?

Upon landing, they were greeted by one of Grand Kai's lackeys. He was a short man with a bushy mustache and droopy eyes that went by the name of Malcolm. Aurella recognized him from her last visit a few centuries back.

Malcolm took them by car to what reminded Aurella of a beach house, which was strange, since there was no beach. There was, however, a hot spring nearby the house.

Aurella gazed in awe at her surroundings and the lovely house that they would be staying in. She was eager to use the hot springs, but knew better than to ask about it. Those springs were for her master, not her. Just the same, she couldn't help but stare at them longingly. To Aurella's dismay, her master caught on.

"Would you like to use the hot springs, Ella?" A pleasurable chill shot through her when he used her nickname.

She looked away, "No master, I don't." She couldn't lie directly to his face. He knew her well enough to know that she was lying.

"Why don't we go in together?" He asked encouragingly, smiling. Aurella's head snapped back towards him, eyes wide. Was he being serious? He wasn't one to joke, so she assumed he must be… But why? Aurella looked down at the floor.

"No. I wouldn't want to encroach on your leisure time." Supreme Kai frowned, but decided not to push her. Not yet anyways.

Malcolm gave them a short tour and then left them to unpack.

Aurella sat in her room, contemplating the Kai's earlier invitation. She flushed at the idea of taking a bath with him. What might happen in such a steamy environment?

She forced herself to stop imagining it and finished unpacking.

Unsure of what they were doing that day, Aurella left her room in order to seek out the information.

No one was in the living room or kitchen, so Aurella began meandering down the hall in search of her companions. She soon came to an open door and looked in to see Kibito organizing his new living space. She poked her head in.

"Kibito?" He glanced up, smiled, and nodded her inside. She peeked down the hallway before entering, and the rushed in, closing the door behind her.

"What is it, little one?" Kibito asked without looking back up. In general, Aurella wouldn't allow most people to refer to her like that. Kibito, however, was an exception, since he was like a brother to her. So she didn't mind.

Slumping onto his bed, Aurella sighed and muttered, "Nothing…" in response. He finally looked up at her, eyebrows raised. He didn't believe her and she knew it. "It's just…" She played with the corner of the comforter, refusing to look up at him. "He's acting kid of… odd…"

Kibito had no need to ask who she was talking about. "He's just worried about you."

"Strange way to show it…" She mumbled, causing Kibito to smile again. He went back to unpacking and they sat in comfortable silence for a few minutes. Then Aurella remembered her original objective.

"So, are we doing anything special today?" Kibito paused, donning a thoughtful expression.

"I believe we are meeting with the Kai's this evening… A dinner party, if I heard correctly." Aurella blanched. She hated parties. Especially dinner parties. They had to be absolutely perfect, or someone would be upset, and it made her nervous. Sadly, both she and Kibito would have to go, being Supreme Kai's servants and all. Kibito sensed her anxiety.

"I can speak with him. He won't force you to go." She made a disgusted face.

"What else would I do?" She asked with a sneer. "Besides, it's my job." Kibito chuckled, not surprised by her response. They chatted for awhile longer and then Aurella left to check on their master.

She stepped lightly through the hall until she reached his room, where she knocked lightly on his door. When he didn't respond, she opened it a crack. Hearing the shower running inside, she opened the door the rest of the way and stepped inside.

Aurella surveyed the room in awe. It wasn't as big as his room back home, but it was definitely more extravagant. The bed was enormous, the furniture intricately carved in various designs in what looked to be mahogany and an entire wall full of windows leading onto a small veranda. Well suited for a guest of such extreme proportions.

She spun in place, taking in the beauty of the room, mouth ajar and eyes wide. She decided that the bed was her favorite piece of the room. It was a four-poster with a thick mattress and flowing dark canopy with matching bedspread.

She fought the urge to job on it and walked over to the glass door instead. Unlatching it, she stepped outside. A warm breeze greeted her, ruffling her hair as she closed her eyes and breathed in the spectacular smell of flowers.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" Said a familiar voice, interrupting her moment. She spun around to see her master, once again bare-chested, hair damp and dripping with water.

"It really is…" She replied with a smile, turning back towards the field. They admired the view for awhile until the wind began to pick up, causing the Kai to shiver. It was then that Aurella remembered his hair was still wet.

She grabbed him by the wrist and dragged him back inside, closing the door behind them.

"Sit," She said, pointing to the chair. With a small chuckle, he obeyed as Aurella went into the nearby bathroom to grab a towel.

Returning to her master, she towel dried his hair in the gentlest way possible, causing a soft, almost inaudible sigh to escape his lips. Aurella's keen ears picked up on the sound and caused her head to spin and a flush to creep up her cheeks. If only he would sound like that more often… Just for her…

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REVIEW. REVIEW. REVIEW. I feel like people don't care for this story cause no one reviews/favorites it. I've had maybe one person.... Out of my whole twelve readers... Seriously, guys, cut me some slack. You're killin' me here. =|


	5. Chapter 5

Not sure if anyone's noticed, but yes I have been switching tenses as I write chapters. I apologize for that. It's mostly an accident. When I originally wrote it, I wrote it in past tense. I was trying to switch it to present, but last chapter I messed up, because I was tired and didn't really care. I'll try to stay on present tense from now on, but if I don't, I apologize.

DBZ, its characters and plot belong to Akira Toriyama, Funimation, and so on. I only own my original story and Aurella. Thank you and enjoy.

* * *

Aurella finishes her task as slowly as possible, trying to enjoy the closeness for as long as possible. Once finished, Supreme Kai tilts his head up at her with a lazy smile. Her heart skips a beat, as her master looks extremely sexy in this position and it sends her body and mind into overload. She suppresses what she can and the only noticeable change to her demeanor is the slightly quickened pace of her breathing.

"Thank you, Ella. You're always taking such good care of me." She smiles down at him.

"I do what I can." She replies as she tries to calm her heart and places the now wet towel into a hamper. "Kibito has informed me that we will be joining the Kai's for dinner this evening…" She mentions off-handedly. Supreme Kai chuckles.

"You don't sound particularly thrilled by the prospect." He stands and crosses the room to the dresser.

"You know that I don't really like formal outings…" She follows him with her eyes, her breathing finally starting to return to normal.

"Yes, I do know." He says as he rummages through a drawer. She rolls her eyes and smiles.

"Do you need some help?" She asks, walking towards him.

"No, I –Aha!" He pulls out something silky and white and holds it up for her to see. It takes a moment, but when she realizes what it is, Aurella lets out a loud gasp. Her master happened to be holding one of the most beautiful sleeveless kimonos she had ever seen. It is silvery white, with sky blue trim, clasps, and lining. "I'd like for you to wear this tonight."Aurella's jaw drops.

"You're kidding." She says, shocked. He laughs.

"I'm not. I got it for you, so you should wear it." She can't believe that he is giving such a gift to her. Reaching out a hesitant hand, she delicately holds the silky fabric in her fingers. It feels absolutely amazing on her hands and she know it will feel even better draped over her body.

"Go and try it on." The Kai urges, placing the dress carefully in her arms and pointing towards the bathroom. She carries the kimono gingerly, as if she is worried she might break it, and goes into the small adjoining room, closing the door behind her.

Aurella slips out of her clothes and eases the new dress over her head. It hugs her curves wondrously and feels just as nice as she had suspected it would. It's as though the dress was made just for her. The longer she thinks about this possibility, the more probable it seems to be. Her master had probably gotten her measurements from Kibito and had it tailored to her size. Tears well up in her eyes. This dress is the most amazing gift she has ever received.

She walks back into the bedroom, still a bit teary-eyed, and stands in front of her master, head down. He tilts his head questioningly, but before he can say anything he is suddenly caught off guard by the impact of Aurella hugging him.

"Thank you so much." She whispers into his neck. A faint blush appears on his cheeks at the feel of her breath on his neck.

"No need to thank me," He says, warily hugging her back. "This is my way of thanking _you_. For everything you do for me." She utters a small sob in response, unable to express her joy any other way. He slowly and cautiously reaches up a hand to stroke her hair and after a while she begins to calm down.

Finally breaking the embrace, Aurella wipes her eyes. "I'm sorry," She says shakily, "I don't mean to be such a blubbering idiot." She laughs at herself as she smoothes her dress. "It's absolutely gorgeous. I really love it." She beams at him, still a little tearful.

"I'm glad that you like it." He smiles at her and she blushes at the sudden realization that (a) she had just hugged him, and (b) he still wasn't wearing a shirt. It was difficult to keep from swooning, but she somehow managed it, forcing herself to look away.

Clearing her throat, she changes the subject. "We should probably be leaving soon. Do you need any help getting ready?"

"No, I think I can manage on my own." He replies with a grin.

"Alright, I'll see you in a bit then." She goes into the bathroom to grab her clothes and then exits the room, closes the door, and slumps against it with a sigh. Slowly her composure returns and she walks to her room to await their departure.


	6. Chapter 6

Look! Another update! Who knew it could happen so fast! Too bad it's for the less popular story. Sucks for the lovers of my other story. =P You guys are just more privileged than they are. Anywho. Just want to wish you all a Merry Christmas! Or Kwanzaa. Or Hanukkah. Or whatever you might celebrate. Enjoy the very long chapter!

I do not own DBZ or it's characters. Only Aurella and my original chapter. Thank you and enjoy.

* * *

Later that evening, Aurella meets Kibito in the entryway to await their departure. He grins slyly at her dress, confirming her suspicions that he had had something to do with it. They wait silently for their master as they always do, since he is always the last to be ready, a flaw that often makes Aurella smile.

He finally shows up, looking a little frazzled, and says, "Sorry I'm late," Kibito clears his throat while Aurella stifles a giggle. "What?" He asks, confused.

"Where to start?" Aurella asks Kibito, who looks utterly appalled. She suppresses another giggle. "I'll take care of it. Come on." She takes Supreme Kai's hand and leads him back to his room, finally letting out a giggle at his look of dismay. Once inside, she leads him into the bathroom.

"Do you ever happen to look in a mirror while getting ready?" He shakes his head in answer. "You may want to start." He turns towards the mirror and gasps at his reflection. His vest is inside-out, his pants have somehow twisted themselves up, he is missing and earring, and it looks as though a hurricane has nested in his hair. He turns pale, then bright red.

Laughing sarcastically, he says, "I can't do anything without you, can I?" And to his surprise, Aurella grins. He has not seen her so cheerful in years, and he is the one making her laugh! A warm feeling spreads through him and he joins her in her laughter.

Aurella helps him fix his vest and pants, finds his missing earring, and brushes out his hair. While brushing, she hums a tuneless melody. Supreme Kai closes his eyes, becoming lost in her voice and the melodic consistency of her soft brush strokes. She is so gentle, never pulling to hard, always careful about not snagging any tangles. How had he never noticed how tender she was? What was this strange feeling in the pit of his stomach?

He was probably just hungry. Yes, that must be it.

Ella finishes and he opens his eyes, gazing at their reflection in the mirror. She is still wearing the dress, just as he had requested, and has put her hair into a bun held together with a pair of chopsticks. She looks about the same as ever, but something is different… He realizes that it is the rosy color in her cheeks. All the laughter was bringing color back into her face. She looks happy, healthy, and downright gorgeous.

"We should go," She says cheerfully. "Kibito is waiting for us." He nods, feeling puzzled by the odd thoughts running through his head and the strange feeling in his abdomen. He was just happy that Ella was feeling better… Right?

When they reach Kibito, he studies his master briefly and then nods in approval, causing Aurella to chuckle.

They leave the house and begin the short journey to the Grand Kai's mansion. Kibito walks in front, Supreme Kai in the middle, and Aurella behind him: basic guard formation. You never know when a dead guy might lose his mind and attack somebody, thus the servants also act as bodyguards. They're flexible like that.

When they reach the mansion they are greeted by an onslaught of servants and dead heroes, all of them wanting to catch a glimpse of the famous and elusive Supreme Kai. Aurella feels as though she is protecting a celebrity from the paparazzi, and in a sense, she is.

Kibito's tall and brawny figure pushes through the crowd with ease (one more reason why he's always in front) and they soon reach the entrance. Supreme Kai steps forward and knocks on the enormous door. It creaks open and they step inside and the Kai leads the way down the hall as the door closes behind them.

Aurella takes this time to admire the building's architecture. It is exactly as she remembers it, very large and rather gaudy. Home sweet home, she thinks with a chuckle.

They soon reach the inner sanctum and two servants open the tall double doors, which reveals a large dining hall with the longest table Aurella has ever seen and likely ever will. They enter the room and it goes completely silent. Everyone inside bows to the Supreme Kai who, surprisingly enough, looks very regal. He always manages to seem civil when around anyone besides his two servants. The change in his character always catches Aurella off guard; he isn't at all the way he portrays himself to be. Almost as though cued by this thought, he smiles like he has a secret. This is the expression he generally uses when he isn't being entirely truthful or if he believes he's being sly.

Grand Kai, who is actually much older than his superior, approaches them. Supreme Kai steps forward to greet him and they exchange pleasantries. While this is going on, Aurella's thoughts and eyes wander. She considers possible escape routes, should the atmosphere prove to be too much for her to handle. As she is standing there, she begins to feel as though someone is watching her.

Glancing subtly around the room, her gaze settles upon a man standing next to South Kai. The man is tall and muscular, likely one of the fallen warriors, with dark hair and dangerous eyes. He stares at her unabashedly, not caring that she has noticed and a feeling of unease washes over her. She glares at him. Having no reason to act pleasant towards anyone besides the Kai's, she certainly does not want to go out of her way to be kind to this particular sketchy fellow.

Doing her best to ignore the man, Aurella scouts out the rest of the room. Everything seems to be in order and nothing suspicious going on, so she returns to her attention back to her master.

"I'm so glad that you could make it, Supreme Kai. You generally turn down all my invitations; it's nice to finally see you again."

"Yes. It's good to be here." Supreme Kai replies nonchalantly. "I've just been so busy lately… You know how it is." He smiles his fake smile that only Aurella and Kibito understand and the Grand Kai twitches. He does not fully believe his companion's words, but he chooses to say nothing about it.

"Well, why don't we get seated?" The old Kai offers. Supreme Kai nods and he is led to the head of the table, where Grand Kai sits to his right. The other Kai's quickly follow suit and seat themselves around the Supreme Kai.

Kibito stand nearby his master while Aurella is further back. They almost always tend to guard him this way when in public places. Kibito always takes the nearer position, knowing how uncomfortable his companion is around most people. Aurella, of course, does not complain and deeply appreciates how Kibito is always thinking of her well-being.

Tonight, however, she rather wishes their roles were switched. The South Quadrant warrior is approaching her with a strange determination in her eyes, no longer inhibited by either his or her superiors.

"Hello," He greets quaintly once he reaches her. She nods in acknowledgement, but keeps her eyes on her master. He is unfazed by her cold response. "My name is Grobin."

"Good for you, you know your name." Aurella remarks sarcastically. He laughs. Aurella, however, is not amused.

"You're looking quite lovely this evening." His eyes travel down her body then back up. She snorts. So _that's _what this was about. He wanted to bed her.

"Not likely." She mutters with a quiet snort. He raises an eyebrow.

"I'm sorry?"

"Nothing." She replies shortly, but he refuses to give up and keeps trying to start up a conversation with her.

After nearly a half-hour of this, Aurella begins to feel a headache coming on. She is rear guard because it gets her away from people, not so that she can be harassed by some sleaze ball. She does what she can to ignore him, but soon realizes that it is a wasted effort. Aurella finally gives in and vaguely acknowledges him with an occasional head nod or one-word response. Not surprisingly, this just seemed to encourage him, his efforts suddenly becoming more exuberant and lively, causing Aurella's headache to grow.

As she half-listens to the nitwit beside her, she watches her master interact with the others Kais, as she usually finds it highly interesting. Tonight, however, he seems distracted. He keeps glancing over at her and doesn't really seem all that interested in the conversation around him.

Aurella's keen ears are able to hear nearly everything the Kais are saying. They also hear every time her master stumbles over a sentence or asks someone to repeat themselves. What in the world could be going on inside his head?

Quite a few things actually.

He can't seem to concentrate. Who could expect him to, with that big thug throwing himself all over Ella? Didn't that idiot know she was busy? Didn't he realize he was distracting her from her job?

It isn't until South Kai's warrior touches Ella that he snaps. He pushes his chair back from the table and stands, a vein popping on his forehead. All conversation comes to a halt as he stalks over to the strange twosome. Ella stares at him in surprise, eyes wide, but he ignores her. He grabs the warrior's arm with surprising force and drags him out of Ella's earshot.

"What in King Yemen's name do you think you are doing?" He asks in a dangerously quiet voice.

"Well, I _was_ having a conversation until you so rudely interrupted us."

"Well, _stop,_" The Kai growls, causing the man to raise a skeptical eyebrow.

"And why, exactly, should I do that?"

"Because," His eye begins to twitch in annoyance. "She has obligations."

"Obligations?" The man asks, astonished. "To what?!"

"To _me_." And with that, he stomps back to Ella, who wears an expression of both shock and amusement grabs her hand and pulls her towards the table.

"You and Kibito will switch places for the remainder of the evening." He orders and Aurella nods, too shocked to actually reply. Kibito immediately senses the tension and quickly takes Aurella's previous position. From his new location, he smirks at Grobin, who is still completely dumbstruck. Who would've known how well the fool would play into his plans? Supreme Kai was absolutely jealous of the man, even if he didn't realize that was the feeling that he was experiencing.

The Kai settled down after the switch. His dinner mates were all very curious about what had just transpired, but they were all too afraid to ask. Even his servants were rather flabbergasted and they had seen him to some pretty strange things in the past.

The rest of the night went on peacefully and without incident. Once everyone had finished eating, the dinner party slowly began to disperse. Grand Kai walked his guests out, chatting up Supreme Kai the whole time.

"Well this sure was a kickin' party," He remarks. "I hope that you'll all be comin' to the Kai Ball as well?"

"Yes, of course." Supreme Kai replies, surprising Aurella. The ball was to be held several days from now and she had not expected that they would be staying that long.

When they reach the house, the three of them head off in various directions to their rooms, all feeling fairly exhausted from both the trip and the party.

Aurella waits in her room until she believes the others to be asleep. She undresses, wraps her hair and body in towels, and quietly lets herself out the backdoor which leads to the springs.


	7. Chapter 7

Two updates in one day! Holy Crap! It's cra-zay-zy! Anywho. Still Merry Christmas, Kwanzaa, Hanukkah, etc. Hope you all have a great holiday and enjoy another long chapter!

DBZ does not belong to me. Only Aurella and my original story.

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Aurella is about to step into the water when she hears a voice call her name. Her head shoots up only to find that her master had gotten the same idea as she. There he was, sitting comfortably in the streaming water. She blushes.

"I didn't realize you were out here. I'll leave you be." She says apologetically and turns to leave.

"Oh, do stay, Ella." She pauses and turns back around, a wary expression on her face. He cocks his head to the side, examining her, and she pulls her towel tighter, feeling embarrassed. "You must be awfully stressed. A soak in the springs would do you some good." He beckons for her to join her. Realizing she doesn't really have a choice, Aurella carefully steps in and sinks into the water with a sigh. Relaxing slightly, she closes her eyes, trying to ignore the fact that neither of them have on more than a towel. After several minutes of silence, the Kai speaks.

"I'm –er –sorry about earlier." He says hesitantly.

"What do you mean?" Aurella asks while keeping eyes still closed.

"What I did… That man…" Aurella frowns and opens her eyes. Her master has on an expression that she has never seen before; both apologetic and confused. She didn't like that she was the one causing it.

"I do not mean to be forward, but there is no need for you to be sorry," His eyebrows rise. "The man was, quite frankly, an ass, and I was quite glad to be rid of him." She closes her eyes again, wondering why she was being so blunt. Maybe it was the heat. They continue on in comfortable silence as he mulls over her response.

He had thought she would be angry with him and was feeling quite happy that this was not the case. He studies her peaceful face and decides that he had done nothing wrong at dinner.

As he sits, he feels his eyes begin to wander. The wet towel wrapped around her was not leaving a whole lot to the imagination. Her breasts seemed to be quite larger than he recalled and her skin looked so soft…

Something stirs in his abdomen and a strange feeling spreads through his stomach. Suddenly all he wants to do is take her in his arms and…

He shakes his head. Was the steam clouding his mind? He concludes that it is high time that he got out of the hot spring. He stands. "I'm going to retire for the night. Try not to stay in too long." She nods, eyes still closed. "Goodnight Ella."

"Night…" She mutters softly. He stares at her a moment longer, then quickly makes his escape. Aurella opens an eye to watch him leave. He looks damn good in only a towel and she wishes she'd had more time to admire his body.

She sinks deeper into the water, so that all but her head is submerged. The heat feels amazing on her worn muscles, she never wants to move. She starts to feel drowsy and her eyelids begin to droop. She is so tired…

"Ella, have you seen my other towel?" The Kai had forgotten it and come back outside. She did not reply. "Ella?" He looks around but does not see her. "I know she did not leave…" He says to himself. Narrowing his eyes, he feels for her energy signature. He can sense her still in the water...

"Shit!" He cries uncharacteristically and jumps into the water heading directly towards the area that he senses her. Soon he is close enough to see through the steam and into the water. There he sees her, only the very top of her head above water.

He reaches down and takes her into his arms, carrying her over to the rocks. As he sets her down, her head lolls to the side and he realizes that she is not breathing. He begins pumping her chest in strong and rhythmic pulses. Soon enough she is coughing up water. He turns her on her side as she hacks some more and strokes her wet hair.

"Ella… You need to be more careful…" He says softly. "I wouldn't know what to do with myself if I were to lose you…" He rubs her back and the coughing slowly subsides. She rolls onto her back and stares up at him.

"Thank you." She says hoarsely.

"Hey, no problem." He says with a smile, tucking a wet strand of hair behind her ear. "Let's go inside." He picks her up again, causing her to squeak in surprise, and cradles her gently in his arms. He then carries her to her room and sets her on the bed. Grabbing a robe from the open closet, he wraps her in it.

Aurella does not protest, enjoying that _he_ is taking care of _her _for once. That and she can barely move.

"I'll go get you some water." He leaves the room and Aurella shifts her robe slightly. She removes the towel that was miraculously still wrapped around her, pulls the robe tighter, then gets under the blankets. She notices that she has a fever, her body feels so cold, but her head is so hot…

Supreme Kai reappears, now wearing pants, holding a glass of water and a small bowl. He sets the bowl on her bedside table and hands her the glass. She gulps down about half of it before handing it back to him.

"How are you feeling?" He asks, placing the glass next to the bowl and sitting on the edge of her bed.

"I think that I have a fever, but otherwise I'm fine." He frowns and feels her head. It is so cool… Aurella leans into his palm, not wanting him to pull away.

"You're right. I was afraid of that." He pulls a cloth out of the bowl, wrings water out of it, and places it on his forehead.

"Mmm…" The cool cloth feels just as nice as his hand had. "That was thoughtful of you."

"I do my best." He says with a smile. Aurella smiles back and snuggles deeper into the blankets.

"I'm sorry for troubling you…" He waves it off.

"You aren't, so don't worry about it. Why don't you try to sleep?" He tucks the blankets tighter around her. Aurella closes her eyes and slowly drifts off to sleep. Supreme Kai grabs the chair from the corner of the room, places it next to the bed and sits down. He sits there the whole night, watching her sleep and dipping the cloth in water every half hour or so to keep it cool. By dawn, he is asleep in the chair and Aurella's fever has broken. As light begins to seep through her window, Aurella wakes with a start.

She sits up and the cloth falls from her forehead. She looks to her right to see her master asleep, half in the chair and half sprawled across her bed. The corners of her mouth turn upward in a small smile. She reaches out and strokes his hair, which is sticking out in every direction because of the way it had dried.

"Master?" She says softly. He stirs but does not move. She smoothes his hair. "It's morning, master." She had never wakened him like this before. It felt strange, but she rather liked it.

His ear twitches and he pushes himself up with a groan. He stares at Aurella, bleary eyed and confused. He rubs his eyes and the events of the previous night flood into his mind.

"How are you feeling?" He asks with a yawn.

"Much better thanks to you." He feels her forehead to see make sure she is telling the truth. Satisfied by her temperature he pulls his hand away.

"Are you hungry?" He asks sleepily. "I can get you something."

"No, I –" Her stomach growls loudly, causing her to blush. Supreme Kai chuckles.

"I'll see if I can find something then." He staggers to the door, not used to having to wake up in such a hurry. Aurella stifles a giggle, not wanting to seem ungrateful. Several minutes later he comes back empty-handed and sporting a rather embarrassed expression.

"Er… I don't know… what you like…" At this, Aurella bursts out laughing, unable to stop herself. The Kai's distress increases. Had she hit her head last night? Or was he really that laughable? He feels horrid… They had known each other for most of their lives. Aurella knew basically everything about him and he didn't even know what she ate for breakfast. How depressing was that?

Aurella covers her mouth with one hand and clams herself. "I generally just eat something quick and easy, like a scone. I'm not picky, so just grab whatever you can find." He stares at her blankly for a moment.

"A scone?" He frowns. "That all you eat? A scone?" She nods. "You cannot be serious." She shrugs.

"That's all I have time for." He feels his jaw drop. Ella was _starving_ herself because she was too busy taking care of _him_. Too busy to take care of herself. No wonder she'd nearly drowned.

"Well. I feel like an ass." He mutters to himself. Closing his eyes, he contemplates this new revelation. After several moments they snap open, filled with determination. "Screw that," He says. "You're getting a real breakfast today." He stares at her a moment. "Scones." He says with a disgusted snort and then stalks off in search of Kibito, Aurella staring after him concernedly.


	8. Chapter 8

Well, I feel a little badly. This chapter has just been sitting around waiting to be posted. I completely forgot about it and never put it up... I apologize for that.

DBZ and it's characters belong to Akira Toriyama.

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Upon reaching Kibito's room, Supreme Kai raps loudly on the door. The tall man answers within moments, a curious expression on his face. "Is something wrong, sir?"

"Will you help me make breakfast for Aurella?" The Kai asks, causing Kibito to chuckle.

"I assume that you found out what her breakfast is generally comprised of?"

"It is comprised of nothing is what it is comprised of!" He replies irritably. Kibito grins and follows his master as he turns towards the kitchen, muttering about scones. When they reach the kitchen, he stares at the stove, hands on his hips.

"Kibito! I don't know how to cook, but I do know this! Aurella deserves a decent breakfast!" He looks down at himself and his tone softens. "I don't want to be the reason why she is unhealthy or unhappy…" He clenches his fists. "So, today, I will switch roles with her! I will be the servant and she will be the master!" Kibito snorts. This isn't exactly how he had expected things to turn out, but it worked.

The Kai and his servant quickly set to work. Kibito shows him how to crack and scramble eggs. Supreme Kai strays away from the toaster after it scares him half to death when it pops up. In no time at all, they create an elaborate and delicious looking feast. Except for the toast. The toast is rather burnt.

"I hate toast." Supreme Kai glares at the blackened pieces of bread. Reaching down to throw them away, Kibito stops him.

"Leave it. It will make her laugh." And laugh she does. Hysterically. If she wasn't in bed, she would probably fall over.

The Kai sulks in the doorway as Kibito places the tray on Aurella's lap. He whispers something inaudible in her ear and she smirks. As Kibito leaves to clean up, Aurella begins munching on her breakfast.

"I appreciate you taking care of me like this. It's nice to not have to do anything." Her master perks slightly at this, but makes a sound much like "hmph" and turns his head, causing Aurella to smile. "Kibito did really well on these eggs." She says conversationally. "I think they're the best I've ever had." At this, Supreme Kai puffs up proudly.

"That must be because _I_ made them." He says haughtily. Aurella feigns astonishment.

"You're kidding!" He grins, shaking his head. "Well, you should cook more often then." The Kai glows happily from the compliment. Aurella stifles a smile and continues eating. When she finishes her breakfast, Supreme Kai gathers everything onto the tray and takes it back to the kitchen. Aurella watches him go, wondering why he's making such a big deal out of the whole thing.

With a sigh, she kicks her legs over the side of the bed and stands up. Planning on getting dressed, Aurella is quickly interrupted by the return of her master.

"What are you doing?"

"I was going to get dressed…" She replies cautiously. He raises his eyebrows.

"Wouldn't you like a bath first?"

"But I took one last night…" She reminds him. He waves a dismissive hand at her.

"That doesn't count, because you were sick afterwards." He grabs her wrist and practically drags her out the door. "Come. You can use my bath."

"What?" She asks as she lets him drag her down the hall. "No, no. This really isn't necessary."

"Of course it is." He smiles at her over his shoulder, causing her to melt and halting any other arguments she had previously thought of using.

They reach his room and he leaves her to sit on his bed as he prepares the bath. As Aurella listens to the flow of water in the next room, she contemplates the bizarre way her day has begun. Her master had never treated her like this before and she was starting to wonder what was going on. She wasn't used to him doting on her like this.

In some ways, Aurella can't help but like it. It makes it seem as though he thinks of her as more than just his servant, which is something she had always dreamed of, but never thought actually possible. On the other hand, she feels strange and uneasy now that her schedule and life has been thrown off kilter. Though the Supreme Kai is fairly demanding, so much so that Aurella never has time to care for herself, she still enjoys it. She loves taking care of her master. It is her purpose in life and she dislikes being unable to fulfill it.

"It's ready!" Calls a cheerful Kai, interrupting her thoughts. He pokes his head out the door and looks at her quizzically. "What are you waiting for? Come!" He beckons her to him. With a sigh, Aurella stands, incapable of denying a direct order. As she walks in, a gasp escapes her lips. This is the first time she has seen the master bathroom and it is much more luxurious than she had expected.

The counters and floor are made of black marble stone and the bathtub is much bigger than the Kai's tub back home. The faucets are pure silver, as are the mirror frames. A large window next to the tub looks out onto the field. Aurella tries her best not to gape as she admires the extravagant room. Supreme Kai chuckles at her awe. He lets her admire the room for a few moments, then takes her hand and leads her to the tub. Aurella looks down into the water to see that the tub is filled to the brim with bubbles. Bubbles that had already began to overflow onto the floor.

He had made a mess and she would have to clean it up. Aurella tries not to cringe, as he was only being nice. Besides, it is the thought that counts. Supreme Kai turns away from her. "You get in. I won't look." Aurella blinks.

"Um… You're… planning to stay while I bathe?" She stares at the back of his head as though she can attain the answer that way.

"Of course. I'll wash your hair and scrub your back for you." A deep crimson blush spreads across Aurella's face.

"That is really, _really_ not necessary."

"Of course it is! No, please get in." He waves her towards the bath, back still turned, and waits.

"Master, please. I do not feel comfortab—"

"Aurella. Get in." He orders. Aurella sighs, knowing she has lost this battle and that it is useless to try and argue. She quickly removes her robe and steps into the bath, sitting, and sinking as deeply as she can into the warm water. The bath is not quite as deep as she had hoped, so she sinks further in, so that the bubbles are up to her chin.

"I'm in." Aurella says squeakily, feeling very embarrassed. Supreme Kai turns around and smiles down at her.

"How is it?" He asks, picking up a bottle of shampoo.

"It's fine." She mutters, voice cracking. Is he really going to shampoo her hair? He approaches the tub and puts some in his hands. Apparently so…

The Kai begins to lather her hair. At first, Aurella just feels awkward, but the longer he massages her scalp, the more difficult it is to not enjoy it. A tiny moan escapes her lips as she leans her head into his hands. Supreme Kai freezes as the sound reaches his ears. His heartbeat quickens and that strange feeling returns to his stomach.

Unsure why he is reacting so strangely, Supreme Kai does his best to steady his breathing and his hands as he continues to shampoo Ella's hair. When he is finished, he grabs a pitcher of warm water that he had previously prepared. "Close your eyes, Ella." He warns. She does and he slowly pours the water over her head, rinsing her hair of the sudsy shampoo.

"Thank you." Says Aurella as soon as he is finished. She shoots him a dazzling smile, catching him off guard and causing him to blush.

"Y-you're welcome," He stammers. Aurella closes her eyes and leans her head against the edge of the bathtub, still smiling that incredible, never-before-seen smile. She seems to be feeling better, which makes the Kai glad, even though it caused an odd feeling in his abdomen. "Er... Shall I… scrub your back now?" He asks, unsure how to feel.

Aurella considers this a moment, screwing her eyes up tight, and tries to determine the best way to avoid the situation. Nothing comes to mind… Unable to think of a way out, she sighs. "Alright, go ahead…" She pulls her knees towards her chest, slowly sits up, and folds her arms around her legs. This way, he can reach her back, but the rest of her body remains unexposed.

The Kai swallows nervously and gives a shaky nod. Grabbing a cloth and a bar of soap, he begins gently scrubbing her back.


	9. Chapter 9

It's been aaaaages. I missed you guys. And writing. Sorry it's been so very long. School is insane, so I hardly have time for anything, let alone fun, creative stuff. So. Hopefully I can catch up and post a lot over the summer. Thank you so much for being so patient! Enjoy my lovelies!

DBZ and it's characters belongs to Akira Toriyama.

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As Supreme Kai was scrubbing Aurella's shoulders and back, she began to twitch. He paused and the twitching stopped. He continued scrubbing and the twitching began again. It was not until Aurella started giggling that Supreme Kai realized he was tickling her. He could not help but chuckle.

"Shall I stop?" He asked. In response, Aurella covered her mouth to stop herself from giggling and shook her head. The Kai began scrubbing again and Aurella's body convulsed with laughter. When she snorted, he had to stop, since he couldn't help but laugh.

Ella was so adorable! He had never seen her quite like this, her guard lowered. He touched her shoulder.

"I'm finish—" The softness of her skin caught the Kai off-guard and the smell of lilacs coming from her hair hit him full-force. A spark shot through his hand, up his arm, and straight down into his stomach. Aurella glanced over her shoulder, one eyebrow raised.

"What is it?" He was staring at his hand on her shoulder with the strangest expression on his face. "Master?" She laid her hand on his, concerned.

He jumped at her touch and snapped back to reality.

"Sorry." He apologized. "I guess that I… zoned out." He looked down at his hand, then back up at Aurella, confusion clearly visible in his eyes.

"I'll leave so you can finish up." He left the room and closed the door behind him. Aurella watching him go with a curious look on her face.

"What was that all about?" She thought aloud. Choosing not to worry too much, she finished her bath and got out, wrapping herself in a towel that she found on the counter. It was fluffy and blue, a match to the corresponding bedroom set.

Aurella found a hair dryer in one of the cupboards and took her sweet time blow drying her long hair. When she finished, she decided to rummage through some more cupboards just to see what she might find. Not to be disappointed, she soon found some styling mousse, moisturizer, and other cosmetics with which she could pamper herself.

After spending at least an extra thirty minutes in the bathroom, she peeked out the door. Her master was nowhere to be found. He had, however, left behind some clothes for her on his bed. As she crept into the room and closer to the bed, she found that it was another sleeveless kimono, much like the one Supreme Kai had previously given her. This one, however, was black instead of silver with the same blue trimming and designs.

This kimono was just as lovely as the first one and she eagerly donned both it and the matching black slippers waiting at the foot of the bed. When she finished dressing, Aurella left her master's room in search of both him and Kibito.

The house was fairly quiet, which was normal. With only three adults in a house, there was never a whole lot of loud, rambunctious activity occurring.

Aurella reached the living room to find Kibito lounging on the couch reading a book. Supreme Kai was nowhere to be found.

"Where is he?" Aurella asked. Without looking up, Kibito pointed towards the window. Aurella crossed the room and looked outside to see her master wandering around the yard. Aurella crossed her arms and scratched her head.

"Did he seem… odd to you?" Kibito looked up at her with a thoughtful expression.

"Not particularly. Why?" Aurella kept her gaze to the window.

"No reason." She replied and then walked out of the room, heading outside to find her master. As she got closer, she saw that he was pacing and muttering to himself. He did not notice her at first, so she waited. After a few moments, when he still had not noticed, she cleared her throat, causing the Kai to jump.

"Oh. Ella. Hello," He said with an embarrassed glance. Aurella narrowed her eyes. Why was he acting so strangely? Was he sick? Losing his mind? That would explain the strange way he had been treating her today.

Aurella rushed to her master and quickly felt his forehead.

"Ella?"

"Shh," She hushed him. He didn't feel warm. She felt his cheeks. Those seemed normal too. "Hmm…" She dropped her hands and took a half-step backwards. Placing her hands on her hips, Aurella inspected her master from head to toe. He didn't _look_ crazy, but how exactly was she supposed to tell?

"Have you bumped your head recently?" She circled him to get a better look at his head. There were no visible bumps or bruises.

"I don't believe so…"

"Hmm…" If he wasn't sick and he wasn't crazy, then what was wrong with him? Supreme Kai blinked at Aurella, wondering why she was studying him like a lab rat.

Aurella gave up.

"I guess that there's nothing terminally wrong with you…" She mumbled under her breath. He blinked questioningly, but didn't ask. Instead, he took her hands in his and squeezed lightly.

"Ella, I have a question." She took a quick breath, reacting to his touch.

"Yes?" She replied in a small voice, doing her best to suppress the feeling beginning to course through her body.

"Tomorrow night, Grand Kai is holding a ball." Aurella swallowed the lump in her throat. She knew how the Grand Kai's parties went. They were always extravagant and unpredictable. She and Kibito would be expected to guard the Supreme Kai while a mass of people swarmed throughout the ballroom. Supreme Kai would be expected to be regal, as always, and to find a companion for the ball, so as to have a dancing partner, and also, for eye-candy to the entire populace. Aurella always hated those parties. It was a difficult task, guarding her master in such a crowded place. It was even more difficult watching him dance with other women. She hated balls more than she hated dinner parties.

"You'll be attending then..?" He nodded and Aurella gave a brief sigh and looked away. Supreme Kai paused before answering, as though he were deciding what to say next. He licked his lips nervously and continued.

"I would like for you to go as my escort." Aurella stopped breathing. Had she heard him correctly? That could not be possible.

"You mean… like… like your date?" She squeaked, voice cracking. She stared at him with wide eyes as he nodded.

Supreme Kai had just asked _her_ to be _his_ escort to the ball.


	10. Chapter 10

Yoooou guuuuuuuuys~ I was re-reading the reviews ya'll have left me and it's just so sweet and kind, and I feel so bad that it's been so long since I've written. So, between this, some personal prodding from a newer fan, **La Divina Aquamarina**, and a lot of time spent watching DBZ Abridged (Courtesy of TeamFourStar), I feel like I've got enough ambition and inspiration to write a little. Also, I finally have some time again, now that the semester is over. I'd also like to give a shout-out to **xkelbix**, for mentioning that Supreme Kai seemed a bit out of character. I've taken this into account and am going to try and write him more formally, so thanks for the review! :) I hope that this chapter is to everyone's liking, and thanks to everyone, new fans and especially longstanding old fans, for your continued support. Lots of love. 3

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Since it's been so very long, I'll give a brief excerpt from the end of the previous chapter…

"Tomorrow night, Grand Kai is holding a ball."

"You'll be attending then..?" He nodded and Aurella gave a brief sigh and looked away. Supreme Kai paused before answering, as though he were deciding what to say next. He licked his lips nervously and continued.

"I would like for you to go as my escort." Aurella stopped breathing. Had she heard him correctly? That could not be possible.

"You mean… like… like your date?" She squeaked, voice cracking. She stared at him with wide eyes as he nodded.

Supreme Kai had just asked _her_ to be _his_ escort to the ball.

* * *

Suddenly, Aurella became very aware of the fact that the Supreme Kai was still holding her hands in his and that her palms were quite sweaty. She also noticed that she was breathing at an accelerated rate and her heart was pounding.

These realizations, however, did not stop her from incoherently rattling off what her brain was now screaming at her.

"Is-that-really-okay-do-you-even-need-an-escort-I'm-just-your-maid-shouldn't-someone-more-qualified-be-your-escort?" This, of course, came out in an obscenely fast stream of words and in one of the most highest-pitched tones possible from a humanoid throat.

Supreme Kai chuckled quietly and Aurella suddenly realized how incomprehensible her response was. She took a deep breath and tried again, in a calmer, but still shaken, tone. "Master, I really feel as though I must refuse. It would be inappropriate for someone of my stature to accompany you to an event such as the Kai Ball…"

"I assure you, whether or not it is 'appropriate' does not concern me. I would much like for you to escort me to the ball, and that is truly all that matters, is it not?"

"B-but…" Aurella argued ineffectively. Her mind was spinning. The Kai Ball was one of the most formal and renowned social functions for the Kai's and all of Other World. Supreme Kai could not really expect the others to be alright with this. Was he doing it in spite of that? If so, what was his motivation?

Maybe he was crazy after all…

Flustered, Aurella was unable to adequately make her point or deny his request.

"So, Ella, do you accept my offer?"

Aurella opened her mouth to speak, then changed her mind and closed it. She did not trust herself to say anything intelligent at the moment. Once again, her master had sent her completely for a loop. Instead of replying, she just nodded her head dejectedly.

"Wonderful!" The Kai replied with complete enthusiasm, looking utterly euphoric. He just _had_ to be crazy…

And if that was the case, there was absolutely no way she could deny his request. Aurella had an obligation to do whatever it was her master wanted, and whatever she could to help him overcome this bout of insanity.

Aurella excused herself and hurried away from the smiling Kai, back inside to find Kibito, for only he could offer insight into this particular conundrum.

"Kibito! I need you right away!" She yelled frantically as soon as she was out of earshot of her master.

"In here." Kibito calmly called from his living quarters. Aurella ran down the hall and into the room. "Is everything alright, Aurella?"

Aurella hastily explained the situation, emphasizing that she believed their dear master must have gone quite mad. Kibito listened quietly, taking it all in, nodding when needed. After she had finished her ramblings, he closed his eyes to consider it for a moment.

Aurella fidgeted, wringing her hands together, breathing somewhat heavily from the rushed explanation. She could not take the silence.

"Do you think I am correct in believing he has lost his mind? That is the only possible explanation, is it not? It's just not rational…" She trailed off. Kibito studied her a moment before responding.

"Is it not possible that he simply desires your company?"

"Oh, I do not think so. He must be mad." She replied, matter-of-factly, causing Kibito to chuckle. Aurella paused a moment. "However, I have accepted this fact and will stand by our master even in his darkest moments." Kibito amusedly raised a questioning eyebrow. Aurella sighed. "Although I do not believe our master is still rational, I must do as he asks of me and try to help him in any way that I can. Therefore, his madness is not the problem I face…" Kibito watched with curiosity as a blush began to creep across the girl's face.

"Then what, my dear, _is _the problem?" An embarrassed frown crossed Aurella's face as she shifted her gaze to the side.

"Well… I…" She bounced uncomfortably on the balls of her feet and once again Kibito raised a quizzical brow. "I do not… have anything suitable to wear." Kibito stared her down for a moment before bursting into booming laughter.

"Is that all? Why did you not say so sooner?" He stood and crossed the room to his closet. Aurella watched with growing interest as Kibito fished through the closet. It took only a moment for him to find what he was looking for and bring out a long, narrow box. "Here we are." Kibito placed the box on the bed and removed the lid. He gestured to Aurella to come closer and she peeked into the open box. Whatever was inside was wrapped in dark paper. She looked back up at Kibito with questioning eyes. "Go ahead." He urged.

Aurella turned back to the box and its mysterious contents and began sifting through the paper. When she finally found what was inside, she pulled it out with a small gasp.

"You _cannot _expect me to wear this." Her voice was strained, causing Kibito to smirk.

Of course he did.


End file.
